Eco education fuels the mind, motivates students and adults by providing relevance and rigor, while nature is the main source of inspiration and creativity.  VDC is engaging to all types of learners, and provides opportunities and experiences that retain student interest into adulthood.  When we are offered real life experiences with opportunities for developing skills to meet the demands of 21st century careers in a meaningful way, students will rise to the occasion. We all have talents that we offer and build from. The “green” theme, Global Environmental Challenges, combines art, nature, and man, and gives students drive, meaning, and purpose. There is no limit on student achievement.  Focus is intensified, and operations improve.

 The Visioneer Design Challenge does just that. Nowhere else can we engage skills that connect (STEAM based learning) science, technology, engineering, math, and art to arrive at creative solutions. Through innovative thinking, empathy, collaboration, team building, research, community involvement, and reflection, students feel they can make our world a better place. VDC gives students the skills and motivation to do so. The process has the power to bring students to the highest level of creative achievement.

As stated in the Art Education Journal of National Art Education, September issue, 2012,

STEAM is a response to the question, “How do we encourage teaching that creates stimulating and inspiring classrooms, where students engage in problem solving and use their creativity and imagination to address interesting and important subjects, and where teachers push students to continue learning long after the exam is over?”  (Boykin & Noguera, 2011, p.175)

The collaborative process of the VDC program encourages both teacher and student to draw and track information from many sources, and each is thus dependent upon literacy, research, history, community, technology, fellow classmates, and designer(s) in the field to arrive at newly created knowledge.

With the drive to transform education and move forward with a new vision of teaching, the VDC program addresses the model core teaching standards and guiding principles for teaching and learning from DPI.  Self assessment, instruction, and facilitated learning target these standards, and create a responsive learning environment that engages middle and high school students. The movement has begun to change STEM into STEAM based learning by including the “A” for art, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in all areas of education. 

VDC builds literacy and critical thinking skills across curriculum and promotes diversity among our learners while offering a more integrated approach to teaching and learning. 

Steve Prince, professor of art at Montgomery College in Germantown, MD explains, 

Throughout my art and teaching career, I have been concerned with demystifying the boundaries between the various art disciplines as well as championing interdisciplinary connections. Students that opt to pursue careers in science, engineering, or mathematics, I believe, are enriched by their exploration of the creative process and problem solving skills derived from visual art creation. When I am teaching I utilize multiple methods and approaches to connect with the various learner styles (visual, auditory, conceptual, tactile, kinesthetic) in my classes and, conversely, I attempt to draw connections between the various subjects. (Art Education Journal, Sept.2012, p.45)

 The student chooses the area of design they wish to compete in and the teacher acts as a facilitator. Students create their own learning by analyzing, evaluating, and developing an alternative solution to a given problem. Motivated to take it to the next level of knowing, students are building on authentic relevant challenges. Using a variety of approaches and methods, students are gradually given more responsibility for their own learning as the locus of control shifts from teacher to student. To articulate new knowledge, they must pull information from many sources, and reach out into the community to synthesize information across multiple sources. 

In April, UWM sponsors the VDC daylong event in which students bring all their supplies, lap tops, creations, resources, and are given hands-on learning instruction and feedback from design artists in their chosen field. Students present their solution to the problem, are judged on their long-term assignments, and continue to receive instruction on a new related short-term challenge that extends their learning to the end of the day. They receive feedback and are judged on their short-term assignments based on how well they met the needs of their challenge. Ribbons, metals, and a participation plaque are awarded accordingly. 

The VDC process brings out the best in student creativity, skill and talent. As the engagement level of each student increases, their motivation reflects the desire to participate in authentic life experiences.  Students connect at deeper levels of knowing as their growing understanding of available resources and skills help them to complete tasks set forth by professionals in the field. This stimulates learning and motivates students to carry out and perform at higher levels of critical thinking.

Attracted to the real life experiences and training of actual careers in design arts, students enjoy being a part of a world view that is conscientious of best practices for a better tomorrow. Next.cc is the sister web site to VDC and is among the most valuable resource for the program to engage and train students in each of the design areas. It is divided into the following four sections: tools, language, discovery, and design. Within the thousands of journeys that can be taken, each has a section that includes a growing list of web sites that take the student on a journey into deeper thinking and knowing about their topic. 

All students start with the same skill building exercises, and gradually move into more discipline specific.   Challenges are stated clearly, and the teacher helps the student to interpret step by step as needed.  The bond that grew between students was one of the treasures that came from VDC. It was just as much about laughing, joking, and playing as it was about supporting and encouraging each other, and getting the work completed. These experiences contributed to the overall success of the group, and most of them return today. One of our fondest memories is how we worked together to solve problems and made it happen.  

 

PRODUCT DESIGN 2

Did you take your Medicine? Create a Medication compliance device.

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:

Develop a low-tech medicine dispensing device with drawings defining step by step ways the device works. It must indicate time to take medicine and that the medicine was taken. It can hold medicine but this is not required. Final model must be made in actual size created with care and excellent craftsmanship keeping in mind the BACKGROUND INFO about medications below and how this product will affect the people in the US and globally.

MEDIA

1. Create a model in paper, cardboard / plastic or other simple material in actual size.

2. Create a storyboard to tell the story step by step of how the device is to be

used.

3. If possible, do a user study by interviewing a family member, grandparent or other individuals who use medications to provide insight, ideas and clues as to a successful concept (also, research this topic on the internet).

 

ANSWERS TO SEEK

• How do you know when to take your medicine?

• What are different ways to remind you when to take your pills?

• How will it inform you that you already took your medicine and when?

• If you take medication several times a day, how will this device inform you?

• How do you make sure that medicine is only taken when it’s needed?

• Where do you keep your medications so they are easily accessible to you?

• How do you keep them away from small children and other individuals who might take them?

• Is this device easy to open for those who have difficulty in doing so?

• Does is communicate to other family members or caregiver what the medicine is and the schedule and care important for taking it?

 

SUGGESTIONS:

• Can this be designed in a low tech way with no electronics or battery?

• Can this be an improved pillbox but do more?

• Could this be a fun device more like a game board? When you look at a checker board you can immediately see who is winning, what play to be made, and what is the score, in any language! Have you ever played the game Battleship? Or Chinese checkers? Or Mankala? Explore the game board idea.

 

BACKGROUND INFO

Medicine compliance is a huge issue today so what are ways that we can make taking your medication more fun and correctly.

-Approximately 125,000 people with treatable ailments die each year in the USA because they do not take their medication properly.

-Fourteen to 21% of patients never fill their original prescriptions.

-Sixty percent of all patients cannot identify their own medications.

-Thirty to 50% of all patients ignore or otherwise compromise instructions concerning their medication.

-Approximately one fourth of all nursing home admissions are related to improper self administration of medicine.

-Twelve to 20% of patients take other people's medicines.

-Hospital costs due to patient noncompliance are estimated at $8.5 billion annually.

JUDGING

• Evidence of research, exploration of materials and functional design

• Originality of concept/idea

• Aesthetics (elements and principles of art and design in product as well as drawings)

• Problem solving; Does it answer the questions listed above in ANSWERS TO SEEK.

• Innovative concept and product with clear ergonomics and intuitive engineering.

• Presentation of product model and information provided via the story board.

PROFESSIONALS:

GE Healthcare designers, Ryan Ramos,

John Caruso MIAD, jcaruso@miad.edu

The WAEA Fall Conference is always about coming together in absolute celebration of our yearning to learn more about our profession and to strive to be the best art educators that we can be. 

The connections made with others like us mix in combination with enthusiasm and joy, the care for children, and a search for powerful tools that can serve to make an impact in the classroom and beyond.    The conference in Sheboygan was no different.  Somehow it becomes easy to let go of the things that stand in our right path.  We know, the single most important professional quality we bring to education is that we are nurturing our greatest asset.    Our children are the keepers of our future planet.  Essentially we are raising the level of compassion for all living things. 

Compassion is defined as “deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.” But it’s more than just that. Compassion is an attitude, a philosophy, a way of life. If a child learns compassion, all other scholarly pursuits are merely details in the scheme of life.   http://www.compassionatekids.com/

Wow!  What a dynamic bunch of individuals!  The WAEA community together embodies a powerful punch.  It is an endeared treasure that consists of friends, family, and the greater community of learners, teachers, international connections, and the geniuses of our profession.  It is because of you I am revitalized each time with strength, joy, enthusiasm, and acceptance.  In the classroom we are moving away from erasures.  Let the mistakes be part of the process and forward we go from this point on.  Creativity is my thing and the children never let me down!  They are the creative ones.  Just as we learn from each other, they teach us so much. 

Thank you all for what you bring to the table.  We are building the foundation for 21st century knowing and doing.  From our keynote address by Linda Keene, to mind-mapping by Mark Keene, our friends from Next.cc offer powerful insights.   For those asking, “How do I get started?”  The information one can find on the site is informative, resourceful, and provides the knowing for easy implementation.  Among the list of books suggested by Linda for reading and checking further include: 

How to Be an Explorer of the World  by Maria Popova

The Creative License:  Giving Yourself Permission to Be The Artist You Truly Are  by Danny Gregory

A Sand County Almanacby Aldo Leopold 

Teaching to the Brain's Natural Learning Systems by Barbara K. Given

Getting To "Got It!" by Betty K. Garner

Ecoliterate: How Educators Are Cultivating Emotional, Social, and Ecological ... by Daniel Goleman, Lisa Bennett, Zenobia Barlow

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

Meeting new friends and learning how others are motivated to move in a direction I have only begun to understand leaves me feeling astounded.  Yes, I have much to learn, but I know I am not alone on this journey.  It is very evident just how significant design arts impact the direction of our world as I am reminded lately around every corner.  Reaching to Ted.com for answers related to design and creativity only reinforce what I’m hearing with clarity.  Design is the single most process that gives humans happiness.  Isn’t that what we hope to be about?

Welcome to the new Visioneer Design Challenge program for 2013. 
Yes, this is late in forming, but it is a really exciting program with new areas of design for your students.  This year we are eliminating Point of Purchase design and Web Design.

The Point of Purchase has lost its relevance as a specific design area that is now being taken up in other challenges.  Web Design was an area that we had difficulty getting students excited about even though we tried varied approaches to the process and had a wonderful designer leading it.  It just had to go.

We are adding two new exciting design areas to the program, Exhibit Design and Interior Design.  Exhibit Design will be led by a designer, Russ Fowler, Derse Design, who is highly recognized and a leader in the field nationally.  We are so very fortunate to have him join us.  (Exhibit Design can now take the place of Point of Purchase.)  Interior Design will be another exciting area headed by Holley Bakich, a wonderful artist/interior designer, who is so excited to join our program.  She is connecting her challenge for the students with the Architectural Challenge.

Both of these areas – Exhibit Design and Interior Design - need to be encouraged by you to have your students choose these areas or we will lose these top designers.  Also, Game Design is going into its second year and the three young designers from the UW gaming program are really interested in getting these ideas and processes to young people.  We are so fortunate to have them as part of this program.  In fact, it would be great if you had students try a variety of design areas so that we can be assured all design areas are filled. 

I am still working on trying to get a Book Illustrator to join us and I have several artist friends trying to encourage book designers to join us.  This may seem easy to you, but I always have to convince designers that they can work with middle and high schools students and that the process is not that difficult to create. They want to be good at what they present and do on-site as well.  Also, these are highly busy people who have to find the time to do this as well as donate their time and expertise.  The only pay they receive is the gratitude from all of us and the beautiful work and enthusiasm of students.

Product Design is still in the workings and hopefully I will get that before the end of December.  The designer is still waiting for GE HealthCare and TREK for their challenges.  If you have students interested in this wonderful design area, please have them hang in there.  The challenges will come.

Thanks for all the extra work you do to provide the best art education to your students above and beyond the school day.  It is greatly appreciated!  I tell everyone that the best art teachers are those involved with the VDC and I mean it!  Much success to you and your students.

Virgi Driscoll